Following a national search, Evangel University President, Dr. Carol Taylor, is pleased to announce that Dr. Tim Hager has been appointed by the Board of Trustees as the Vice President/Dean for the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS) of Evangel.

The Board of Trustees ratified Dr. Hager’s appointment during their meeting on Nov. 17, 2017. He will succeed retiring V.P./Dean Dr. James Railey, and will begin his tenure on Jan. 1, 2018.

“Dr. Hager brings a unique blend of academic, ministry, and executive administrative experience,” said President Taylor.

“His passion for equipping men and women for effective ministry, his keen knowledge and love of the Assemblies of God and our church leaders, and his ability to lead complex organizations with transformational leadership will be a tremendous asset to both the seminary and the university,” she said.

Dr. Hager has served as the chief operating officer of the General Council of the Assemblies of God for the past two years, and was administrator of field operations for U.S. Missions (AGUSM) for seven years prior to that.

“I am passionate about the development of excellence in relationships and excellence in performance,” said Hager. “My inspiration is found in the scripture that says in part, ‘Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.’” (Hebrews 10:24, NIV)

A recognized expert in organizational leadership development, administration and management, Dr. Hager brings more than 30 years of experience in constructing and implementing training programs for not-for-profit and faith-based organizations.

On the academic side, he also serves as a professional presenter/consultant with Missouri State University’s Management Development Institute; he has been an adjunct professor in the Master of Organizational Leadership program at Evangel University since 2010; and he has served as a doctoral project advisor at AGTS since 2003.

“Dr. Hager has taught college-level courses for more than 20 years, in the classroom and online, in the U.S. and abroad,” said Dr. Taylor. “His mix of skills and experiences make him uniquely qualified for this position.”

The Vice President/Dean of AGTS is a Cabinet-level position.

As Dean, Dr. Hager will report to the Provost/Executive Vice President of Evangel University, Dr. Mike McCorcle, on all academic matters. As Vice President, he will report to President Taylor on church and other external relations and fund-development efforts.

According to Dr. McCorcle, “We believe that his expertise in managing organizational change and building strong relationships with our Fellowship are now the perfect fit for our next AGTS leader.”

Utilizing his strengths

Tim Hager has pastoral and district leadership experience in Iowa, Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia.

He completed his Master of Divinity from AGTS in 1989 and landed a position as executive pastor in Asheboro, N.C. There, he developed a passion for training leaders and volunteers, and for leading mission projects. Over the next few years, he led project teams in the U.S., Panama, Argentina, Thailand and Korea.

A life-long learner, this experience led to another degree. In 2002, Hager completed his Doctorate in Leadership Development and Management Theory in Non-Profits, also from AGTS.

Following five years as executive pastor in Manassas, Va., he returned to Springfield to work with AGUSM. There he oversaw leadership programming; created networks among executives in 63 districts; designed, built and implemented an Executive Orientation Program; and regularly led organizational problem-solving task force groups.

“Tim has served with excellence at the Assemblies of God National Office for nearly a decade,” said the Rev. Doug Clay, the newly-elected general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. “During his tenure as administrator of Field Operations for U.S. Missions, he was able to strengthen the relationship with AGUSM and district offices, building an effective infrastructure.

“In 2015, he was appointed to be the chief operating officer of the General Council,” Clay continued. “I was immediately impressed with Tim’s attention to detail, commitment to excellence, and ability to implement systems and processes that work. These skills will continue to serve him well in his new ministry assignment. I am excited for Tim as he enters into this important leadership role at EU/AGTS and pray for his influence on faculty and students.”

During his tenure at the AG National Office, he worked closely with Rev. Clay and with the recently retired general superintendent, Dr. George Wood.

“I have had the privilege to work alongside Dr. Hager and observe his skilled leadership and strong character,” said Dr. Wood. “He is both a visionary leader and consensus builder who will help lead AGTS faculty and students toward Spirit-empowered scholarship.”

Tim and Lynn Hager // (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Tim and his wife, Lynn, have four adult children and two grandchildren — Joshua (32) and Lindsay Hager, with Naomi and Logan; Colton and Dannah (28) Hager-Orendorff; Evan Hager (26); and Timothy Christian Hager (22).

Come to Our Next Open House

November 2, 2017

Adult, Graduate and Seminary Studies Open Houses are held every semester. Open House opportunities are planned for prospective adult and graduate students with a desire to complete their undergraduate degree or pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in a convenient format. The come-and-go events are a great outlet to visit facilities, network with faculty, and learn more about admissions procedures. Evangel waives the $25 application fee for those in attendance.

At the Adult, Graduate and Seminary Studies open house you have the opportunity to:

You are invited to attend the Dedication of the Hyllberg Collection on Women in Ministry and Leadership and a lecture entitled, “The Future of Women Leaders in the Assemblies of God,” presented by Dr. Deborah Gill, Professor of Biblical Studies and Exposition.

This special event will be held during Homecoming in the AGTS Seymour Chapel on Friday, October 6, 2-3:30 p.m. Attendance at Homecoming is not required to attend this event, and a reception will immediately follow.

The Hyllberg Collection, located in the Barnett Library, Room 232-C, will be open so guests can view the new collection. The Hyllberg Collection was made possible due to the personal donations by Dr. Deborah Gill and Dr. Barbara Parks and the generosity of the Hyllberg Fund, which provided the furnishings in the room.

AGTS will present the J. Philip Hogan Chair for World Missions lectureship series on October 9, 11, and 13 at 2 p.m. each day.

Dr. Mark Flattery will be inaugurated as the 2017-2018 Hogan Chair Professor on October 9. The topic of the lectureship series is Network211: A Prototype for 21st Century Global Evangelism and Discipleship. The lecture titles are:

Lecture One: “The Theological Values of Network211”

Lecture Two: “The Missiological Strategies of Network211”

Lecture Three: “The Global Ministry of Network211”

Dr. Flattery serves as an AGWM missionary and President of Network211, a ministry that uses 21st century tools to communicate the 1st century Gospel. The vision is to reach everyone, everywhere with the Gospel. The mission is to present the Good News online to 100 million people worldwide, provide online discipleship, empower local churches to use the Internet, and to help believers share life.

The J. Philip Hogan Chair of World Missions at AGTS is an endowed professorship that honors the missionary leadership of this distinguished former Executive Director of Assemblies of God World Missions. As a partnership between AGTS and AGWM, it calls on today’s missionaries and scholars to continue the heritage of thoughtful, incisive, and Spirit-led missiology that Brother Hogan’s ministry left us. A leading missiologist will be invited annually to fill the chair in order to explore new dimensions in missiology through teaching, research, and writing. Special thanks are due to AGWM, the Hyllberg Memorial Fund, J. Philip and Virginia Hogan, and others who have contributed to the endowment of the Chair.

All lectures will be available via live streaming on the days of the events.